News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Overton County long term care facilities will not be able to have visitors if the county’s 14 percent positivity rate does not decrease by October 1st.
A county must have a positive test rate lower than 10 percent for rehab centers to allow visitors. Overton County Rehab and Health Public Relations Director Scott Stevens said the facility has received high call volumes about visitations since the new guidelines were announced.
“Do a little research,” Stevens said. “Look up the nursing homes are opening up October 1st. There is a lot more to it when you hear things like that. This is not the first time that a statement that has been put out to the public that led the public to believe something that was not accurate.”
Stevens said all facilities in Tennessee are following the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services guidelines for visitations. Facilities must also go 14 days with no new COVID cases.
“First of all, the doors are just not flying open for nursing homes on October 1st, people are not coming in the hallways,” Stevens said. “That is not how this is working. There are a couple key things that have to be in place before we can even let that visitor come in.”
Stevens said if the positivity rate does decrease, the facility is prepared to allow visitors while keeping residents safe.
“It is somewhat similar to what the hospitals are doing now,” Stevens said. “The visitors have to be scheduled. They are going to be limited on time. We are going to limit how many people are visiting in our building at a time.”
